Walking & Biking News & Ideas
We hope you are staying healthy!
It's back to school month! We've got some great articles for you this month, including a call to action at a recent accident location on Blaney Avenue, a special message from FUHSD Trustee Stanley Kou, and a "Bike Bus" day at Cupertino High School. For everyone looking beyond (way beyond) the local area, we've got a fascinating interview with a Munich cycling advocacy group, and an amazing hike report from the Alps. All this, plus Friends of Stevens Creek trail celebrates 30 years, and news and updates on local projects. Read on to learn more!
Accident at Blaney shows need for better crossing
by Henry Widjaja, CHS Student and WBC Youth Board Member
The Regnart Creek Trail (RCT) is one of Cupertino's newest trails, connecting multiple neighborhoods from City Center to Rancho Rinconada. It is a pleasant commuting and recreational nature path for students, seniors, young families, and other residents.

One point, however, was not adequately addressed by the city before the trail opened. The design of the trail crossing at Blaney presents a danger to all trail users, but especially children and seniors.
The trail has been open for less than 5 months, yet already a student was hit by a car at this crossing before school started this past month.
Students will use this intersection heavily over the coming school year. We need to fix this issue urgently before a more severe accident occurs.
Click on picture above to watch a video of cars driving through the crosswalk without stopping as the flashers are flashing to stop.
What can be done to fix this issue
Cupertino High School students and Walk-Bike Cupertino board members have met with city staff and the Bike-Ped Commission to discuss adding traffic calming measures. The following are the ideas that we propose to make this intersection safer for users. These changes are not expensive ($25,000 or less), and using more than one at the same time would have the most beneficial impact. (Read more...)
Without you, we can't make this crossing safer.

Please send an email to the City Council to say that you want real and lasting improvements to make the trail safer for everyone.
Sample text: Please use your own words, as the Council ignores letters with the exact same text. Also add your name and note if you are a Cupertino resident.

Dear City Councimembers and Staff,

I ask that you improve the crossing of the Regnart Creek Trail at Blaney to make it safer for all users. Cars often do not see the flashers and drive through at full speed. There has already been one accident in the first four months the trail has has been open.

Please add a raised crosswalk as shown in the original design reviewed by Council, stop signs, a speed table before and after the crossing, and reduce the speed limit to 25mph. Blaney is a residential street with single-family homes on both sides along most of its length. It should not be used as a fast-moving arterial.

Thank you for considering my input.
A message from FUHSD Board Trustee
Stanley Kou
Another exciting school year is starting, with our sidewalks and roads again filled with young pedestrians, eager cyclists, and new student drivers. To ensure that all our local students in Silicon Valley and the Bay area are safe on the way to school and the transition back to school goes smoothly, Walk-Bike Cupertino and I urge everyone to:

  • Watch Out for One Another: Our roads are shared by students biking and walking, and cars driven by parents and new student drivers. Let’s be careful and attentive so that everyone can get to school safely, regardless of how they travel there.

  • Be Patient: It’s easy to be rushed in the hustle of school drop-offs and pick-ups. Allow plenty of time to get to school safely and be patient in our school zones so we can all be safe. 

  • Respect the Law: Obey the speed limits around schools, and only use disabled parking spots if you qualify. Don’t park or drop off in the bike lanes.

  • Support our Crossing Guards: Please show your appreciation for our crossing guards by respecting their signals and directions. They work tirelessly to keep our children safe at crossings.

  • Drive with Care: Safe driving is crucial to making sure that everyone can be safe on their commute to school. Be vigilant, follow the traffic laws and each school’s rules. This allows everyone to travel with confidence.
I'm genuinely excited each fall to witness the return of students to a new school year filled with learning, growth, and accomplishments. My utmost wish is for everyone to experience a safe and joyous journey to school so they are ready and eager to begin each school day.

I am pleased to partner with Walk-Bike Cupertino to share this message with you today. They’ve been longtime advocates for students to get to school safely and actively, and have pursued this mission through their volunteer work and advocacy. 

Here's to a brilliant school year ahead, marked by camaraderie, curiosity, and collective well-being. Drive carefully, walk safely, and bike responsibly. Let’s make this year remarkable together!

Best regards,
Stanley

Stanley Kou is a Fremont High School District Trustee. FUHSD includes the high schools of Lynbrook, Monta Vista, Cupertino, Fremont, and Homestead. To share this message, click here.
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail celebrate 30 years of advocacy
Celebrating with the leaders of Friends of Stevens Creek Trail are WBC Board members Helene Davis and Byron Rovegno, Cupertino Mayor Hung Wei, Councilmember JR Fruen, City Manager Pamela Wu, former Mayor Richard Lowenthal, and Head of Public Works Chad Mosley.
The Friends of Stevens Creek Trail are celebrating three decades of support for the great Stevens Creek Trail that is enjoyed in four different local cities.
The Friends of Stevens Creek Trail was founded in late 1992 by Mountain View Planning Commissioner Rhona Farrar and was incorporated in the spring of 1993. Since then, the Friends has grown significantly. Each year, the FOSCT holds a Trailblazer Ride, which raises money for the trail and the organization’s activities. The T-shirts from these rides were made into a special 30th Anniversary quilt which will be on display in the four cities over the coming year.
"Bike Bus" at Cupertino High School
NEW STUDENTS LEARN BEST ROUTES TO BIKE TO SCHOOL
Studies show that students that bike or walk to school do better academically and socially. It also teaches them to be more independent and frees up parents from pickup and dropoff duty. Plus it’s great for the planet! Some schools in Palo Alto have seen bike riderships of up to 50-52% of the students. In contrast, Cupertino High School ridership hovers around 10-12%. We have a lot of room for growth.
To encourage students to bike to school, Walk-Bike Cupertino, in partnership with the city’s Safe Routes to School program, and the Cupertino High School Safe Routes to School team, held a Bike Bus event on Aug 15, 2023, Pioneer Day – when the incoming Freshmen students come to school for the very first time to pick up their schedules and get their student IDs. Special thanks to Cupertino High School Vice-Principal Steve Puccinelli and City of Cupertino Safe Routes To School coordinator Cherie Walkowiak for being so supportive of this event.
The goal of the Bike Bus event was to show students and parents that there is a bike route available to get to school from anywhere in the attendance area. We created six bike routes from different locations in the school attendance area.
Thank you to to the Walk-Bike Cupertino team, Safe Routes team, CHS staff, and FUHSD Board members above who planned and participated in the event (from left): Senna Rogoyski, Seema Lindskog, Jennifer Shearin, Anushree Misra, Raashi Sachdeva, Aaryan Doshi, Rod Sinks, Stanley Kou, Henry Wodjaja, Rakesh Sachdeva, and Cherie Walkowiak.
We're working on bike bus routes right now
for Monta Vista High School.
If you'd like to help, please let us know here.
Insights: Interview with
a Munich Bike Advocacy Group
Guten tag! Walk-Bike Cupertino Board member and Vice-Chair of the Cupertino Bike Ped Commission Hervé Marcy met with Eva Mahling and Johan Buchholz, board members of Allgemeinen Deutscher Fahrradclub in Munich (ADFC München), a large cycling advocacy organization.

The ADFC Munich is a non-profit organization that is passionately committed to promoting a bicycle-friendly city and safe cycling. With currently 9,200 members in Munich alone and a total of 220,000 members throughout Germany, the ADFC is a strong advocate for the interests of cyclists.

It’s clear that in Munich they struggle with similar issues that we have here in the Bay Area. Read on to hear how they are approaching their challenges and how they advocate for better biking infrastructure.
What’s the biggest issue you see in Munich for cyclists?
One common problem is that many bike lanes are too narrow. This frequently leads to conflicts between cyclists traveling at different speeds, pedestrians, and, of course, motor vehicles. However, the biggest conflicts occur between cars and bicycles, with parked or stopping vehicles in bike lanes, intersections blocked by parked cars, and dangerously close overtaking maneuvers.

Why do these conflicts matter?
Not only is the ease of biking compromised, but the safety of cyclists is also at risk. The stated goal of “Vision Zero,” which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, is far from being achieved. While overall accident statistics in Bavaria are decreasing, the numbers unfortunately show an increase in accidents involving cyclists compared to 2019. (Read more...)

CITY & STATE
News Briefs
➤ Hoofed friends seen walking on McClellan Road near Monta Vista High

Watch out for deer when biking or driving on McClellan Road. They're being seen in a not-so-rural environment. Thank you to neighbor Elizabeth Lawrence for taking this picture near Linda Vista Drive on McClellan Road.
➤ Updates to traffic adaptive signal equipment
As part of the City Workplan, Cupertino Public Works staff have been implementing and optimizing traffic adaptive signal operations along North De Anza Blvd.

They've recently received a lot of traffic signal equipment, mostly controllers and switches, that will allow the city to complete its upgrade to ethernet communication between the signals and traffic communication center. This equipment is being installed now. Traffic monitoring cameras and associated communications equipment is being upgraded to be IP-adressable. Some new camera locations are being added along arterial roads as well.
➤ State legislature considering e-bike licenses and mandated training
Assembly Bill 530 is moving through the legislature. It would prohibit people under 12 years old to ride e-bikes, require an online written test and require a state-issued identification for riders who do not have a driver’s license. The bill also would establish an e-bike training program and would work with several organizations including the DMV and California Highway Patrol to implement one.
WBC Advocacy Made the Difference
FULL TIME BIKE LANES APPROVED FOR HOMESTEAD ROAD
The chances were estimated as 50/50 for the Sunnyvale City Council to approve full-time bike lanes on Homestead at the August 9 Council meeting, while buffered bike lanes and a road diet were an even slimmer chance.
Despite strong public opposition to full-time bike lanes and maintaining street parking at the meeting, WBC and other advocates were there in greater numbers and spoke rationally and factually.


After a 4+ hour meeting that lasted until midnight, Council made the excellent decision to improve bike safety and promote sustainable transportation. The final decision not only included full-time lanes, but also a study to add buffered lanes wherever possible on the corridor.
Treking the Tour du Mont Blanc Trail
A breathtaking hike in France, Italy and Switzerland
by Daniel and Richard Ding, WBC Members
Tour du Mont Blanc, a multi-day trek hike across France, Italy, and Switzerland, has established itself as one of Europe’s most popular long-distance walks. With over 150 kilometers, or 100 miles, and over 10,000 meters of elevation climb, the TMB is a great way for avid hikers to challenge themselves. 
Mont Blanc is truly a sight to behold. With vast greenery, towering mountains, and massive glaciers, there is everything to love about this journey. This summer, our family enjoyed a 3-day trek hike that covered almost half of the TMB loop trail. On this map, we highlighted and labelled 1, 2, and 3 for three sections that we trekked on the TMB trail. 
The preparation for this journey was no simple task. We spent many weeks planning out the hike with our parents, when and where to stop and stay for the night and all the necessary equipment to bring on the trip. Clothing, food, sleeping bag liners, a map and water were the items that were most needed on this trip.
📖 Articles worth reading this month
Van Moof bikes (the premium e-bikes that Apple were renting to their employees) are one step away from bankrupcy.
There's lots of news about how teens are using e-bikes dangerously (though many are not e-bikes but misclassified high powered scooters or small motorcycles). Read here about the dangers seen in San Diego for teens riding on high-speed roads.
Considering an e-bike? Here's some advice for the best ones of 2023.
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We'd love to hear YOUR voice!

Do you know a great walk, ride, run or hike? Want to share an issue about walking, biking, city planning, or interesting idea?

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Happy Walking and Biking,

Your friends at Walk-Bike Cupertino



Find much more, including maps, safety data, and information on all the city projects at: walkbikecupertino.org